Zydus Cadila seeks emergency approval for its three-dose vaccine. All you need to know

Zydus said, if approved, ZyCoV-D will be the world's first DNA vaccine

Indian pharmaceutical company Zydus Cadila announced on Thursday that it has applied for the emergency use approval for its Covid-19 vaccine, ZyCoV-D. If approved, this will become the second indigenously developed vaccine after Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin, and the fifth vaccine to be approved in India, after Moderna, Covaxin (Bharat Biotech), Covishield (Serum Institute), and the Russian Sputnik V.

Zydus Cadila conducted late-stage trials in more than 28,000 volunteers nationwide, with nearly 1,000 volunteers belonging to the age group of 12 to 18. (Reuters/Representative Image)

Here’s all you need to know about the vaccine that its maker claims can be administered to children:

1. Zydus said, if approved, ZyCoV-D will be the world's first DNA vaccine, as it carries a portion of the genetic code of the virus to stimulate an immune response against its spike protein. So far, the world has seen vaccines based on mRNA technology, such as Pfizer and Moderna, or ones based on viral vectors like Covishield.
2. ZyCov-D is being developed with support from the Centre’s National Biopharma Mission as part of Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council of department of biotechnology.
3. Zydus conducted late-stage trials in more than 28,000 volunteers nationwide, with nearly 1,000 volunteers belonging to the age group of 12 to 18.
4. The drug maker said the DNA vaccine showed an efficacy of 66.6% in an interim study, however no data was published on the vaccine’s effectiveness in neutralizing variants.
5. The manufacturer has applied for approval of its three-dose vaccine but a two-dose regimen is also currently being evaluated.
6. The three doses are to be administered intradermally at day 0, day 28, and finally on day 56.
7. ZyCoV-D comes with two specific temperature requirements. For long term use it can be stored at 2 to 8 degrees Celsius, and for a short term use 25 degrees Celsius will suffice.